Hermetic rotating handle assembly for a surgical clip applier for laparoscopic procedures

ABSTRACT

This invention provides hermetically-sealed handle assembly with a rotating trigger for use with disposable components, such as surgical clip appliers. The rotating trigger reduces the gripping force necessary to fully control the internal actuator mechanism to operate a disposable surgical clip applier to fully ligate a vessel or other tissue. The hermetic seal on the handle assembly prevents any patient fluids and other bioburden from entering the internal structures. This reduces the possibility of cross-contamination and the costs of sterilization.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/321,237 filed on Apr. 6, 2010, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a novel hermetic rotating handle assembly for a surgical clip applier for laparoscopic or endoscopic procedures.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Laparoscopic and endoscopic surgical procedures are conducted through a small incision in the skin or natural body orifices. In order to operate, surgeons must use instruments that have a small enough cross section to fit within these small openings and long enough to reach the surgical area within the body.

Surgical instruments designed for these procedures are often separated into two components to reduce costs and minimize cross contamination.

The first component is a long and narrow disposable portion that is inserted into the small opening during surgery. These disposable components contain surgical tools, such as surgical jaws or surgical clip appliers, dissectors or other instruments, on the end which enters the patient. These disposable components also contain small actuators which control the operation of the surgical tools within the patient.

These small actuators on the first component are operatively attached to the second component of these surgical instruments. The second component is a non-disposable control unit for moving the long disposable component within the patient and operating the actuators to control the surgical tools on the disposable component. The second component is often a handle with a trigger. A surgeon may control the movement and placement of the disposable component by holding the handle and operate the small actuators by squeezing the trigger. For instance, a surgeon may squeeze the trigger to place a surgical clip over a vessel.

By separating these two components, the risk of cross contamination between separate patients or separate tissues on the same patient is reduced. The non-disposable control unit does not enter the patient and the contaminated long and narrow component is simply disposed after each surgical procedure is completed. In addition, costs are saved since medical providers only need to replace the disposable component between surgical procedures.

However, one the problems with currently existing surgical instruments used in these procedures is the possible contamination of the non-disposable control unit. This non-disposable component may still contact patient fluids during surgeries and become contaminated. This may be especially problematic for handle and trigger assemblies. In order for a trigger to be squeezed and moveable, these assemblies have openings to their internal structures.

One solution to this problem is for medical providers to autoclave and sterilize each non-disposable component after each surgical procedure. However, the time needed to autoclave and sterilize these non-disposable handle and trigger assemblies is significantly high due to the need to sterilize the internal structures. This sterilization increases maintenance costs for medical providers. Current surgical clip appliers include many disposable handles since they cannot be sterilized effectively, even with hours in an autoclave.

According, the subject invention is a non-disposable hermetically-sealed handle assembly with a rotating trigger for use with disposable components, such as surgical clip appliers. The hermetic seal on the handle assembly prevents any patient fluids and other bioburden from entering the internal structures. This reduces the possibility of cross-contamination and the costs of sterilization.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.

The subject invention discloses an endoscopic surgical tool comprising, a housing comprising an upper portion and a handle; an actuating mechanism contained within the housing along a first axis, wherein the actuating mechanism is adapted to operatively couple to a disposable external shaft that extends away from the housing along a first shaft axis from a proximal end to a distal end, wherein the first axis and the first shaft axis are substantially parallel; a lever coupled at a proximal end to the actuating mechanism and extending in a downward direction, wherein the lever is pivotably coupled at a distal end to an internal shaft that extends along a second shaft axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first shaft axis; a first end of the internal shaft extending through a first opening in the housing proximate to the top of the handle, and further extending through a central opening of a first disc spring; a second end of the internal shaft extending through a second opening in the housing proximate to the top of the handle, and further extending through a central opening of a second disc spring, wherein the first opening and the second opening are substantially parallel with each other; a first trigger shaft comprising a first substantially semi-spherical top portion coupled to the first end of the internal shaft after extending through the first disc spring, wherein the first trigger shaft further comprises a first substantially half-cylindrical lower portion with a first substantially flat surface, wherein the first disc spring provides a first seal about the first end of the internal shaft by providing a first compressive force on the first substantially semi-spherical top portion of the first trigger shaft and an opposing second compressive force on the exterior surface about the first opening in the housing; a second trigger shaft comprising a second substantially semi-spherical top portion coupled to the second end of the internal shaft after extending through the second disc spring, wherein the second trigger shaft further comprises a second substantially half-cylindrical lower portion with a second substantially flat surface, wherein the second disc spring provides a second seal about the second end of the internal shaft by providing a third compressive force on the second substantially semi-spherical top portion of the second trigger shaft and an opposing fourth compressive force on the exterior surface about the second opening in the housing, wherein the first and second substantially flat surface of the first and second trigger shafts couple to form a substantially cylindrical lower trigger shaft defining a longitudinal axis; a hollow substantially cylindrical trigger grip coupled over the cylindrical lower trigger shaft; wherein application of compressive force to the trigger grip towards the handle rotates the cylindrical lower trigger shaft about the longitudinal axis in a first direction to rotate the first and second ends of the internal shaft in a direction away from the second shaft axis, wherein rotation of the internal shaft pivots the coupled lever to operate the actuating mechanism.

In another embodiment of the subject invention, the first and second trigger shafts comprise complementary configurations.

In another embodiment of the subject invention, the external shaft comprises a cartridge containing surgical clips.

In another embodiment of the subject invention, the distal end of the external shaft is adapted to receive an end effector.

In another embodiment of the subject invention, the end effector comprises a distally attached surgical jaws assembly.

In another embodiment of the subject invention, the first and second disc springs comprise conical spring washers.

In another embodiment of the subject invention, the housing is non-disposable.

In another embodiment of the subject invention, the cylindrical lower trigger shaft rotates about the longitudinal axis in a second direction, opposite the first direction, when the trigger is released.

In another embodiment of the subject invention, the housing comprises a single piece.

In another embodiment of the subject invention, the housing comprises two coupled pieces with complementary configurations.

The subject invention also discloses a hermetically sealed handle assembly for a surgical clip applier comprising: a housing comprising an upper portion and a lower handle; an actuating mechanism contained within the upper portion of the housing that controls a disposable cartridge containing surgical clips; a shaft extending from the housing containing rotating means so as to permit rotation of the shaft about an axis that extends substantially longitudinally through the shaft, wherein the shaft rotates in a first direction about an axis that extends substantially longitudinally through the shaft when a gripping force is applied to the shaft, and further wherein the actuating mechanism within the housing is coupled to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft operates the actuating mechanism.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of a hermetically-sealed rotating trigger and handle assembly for a clip applier.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the hermetically-sealed rotating trigger and handle assembly.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the hermetically-sealed rotating trigger and handle assembly along line “A” of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional front internal view of the hermetically-sealed rotating trigger and handle assembly.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the hermetically-sealed rotating trigger and handle assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

While several variations of the present invention have been illustrated by way of example in particular embodiments, it is apparent that further embodiments could be developed within the spirit and scope of the present invention, or the inventive concept thereof. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and are inclusive, but not limited to the following appended claims as set forth.

FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a hermetically-sealed handle and trigger assembly 101 with a handle 102 and a rotating trigger 103 for a surgical clip applier (not shown). FIG. 3 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the handle and trigger assembly 101 as shown by lines “A” of FIG. 2. The hermetic seal on the handle and trigger assembly 101 prevents any patient fluids from entering the internal structures. This reduces the possibility of cross-contamination and the costs of sterilization, which allows the handle and trigger assembly 101 to be non-disposable.

The rotating trigger 103 rotates in a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to the length of the trigger 103 when squeezed in a direction towards handle 102. The rotating trigger 103 rotates in a second direction, opposite the first direction, when released and moving away from handle 102.

The elements of the handle and trigger assembly 101 include an external housing 107 that is formed by a hollow left half section 305 and a hollow right half section 306. Hollow left half section 305 and hollow right half section 306 are complementarily shaped to each other. The housing 107 may be made of a polycarbonate, ABS, stainless steel or other suitable material known to those skilled in the art. The separate half sections 305 and 306 may be attached together by adhesives, fasteners, welding, or other attachment means known to those skilled in the art.

Left half section 305 has an upper left housing 305 a, a lower left half-handle housing 305 b and a hollow left hinge housing 305 c. Hollow left hinge housing 305 c has a traversing left opening 305 d.

Right half section 306 has an upper right housing 306 a, a lower right half-handle housing 306 b, and a hollow right hinge housing 306 c. Hollow right hinge housing 306 c has a traversing right opening 306 d.

An actuator mechanism 104 is contained within upper left housing 305 a and upper right housing 306 a. Once the left half section 305 and the right half section are connected to form the external housing 107, the upper left housing 305 a and the upper right housing 306 a form housing opening 106. This opening 106 contains the actuator mechanism 104 and allows it to control the disposable cartridge containing surgical clips and a plurality of distal end effectors. The internal actuator mechanism 104 of the subject invention may be any mechanism, known to those skilled in the art, which operates a cartridge containing surgical clips and a distal end effector that is controllable with pivotable lever 105.

A pivotable lever 105 has a top end 105 a and a bottom end 105 b. The top end 105 a of lever 105 is operatively connected to actuator mechanism 104. Trigger shaft 310 is substantially perpendicular to lever 105. The top end 105 a of lever 105 may pivot about the pivot point of bottom end 105 b by rotating around the axis of trigger shaft 310.

Trigger shaft 310 has a left end 310 a and a right end 310 b. Trigger shaft bearings 309 are placed over left end 310 a and right end 310 b.

Left end 310 a passes through left opening 305 d of left hinge housing 305 and then passes through a spring seal washer 311. A left hinge element of the trigger 304 has an upper semi-spherical portion 304 a with an indentation 304 b that houses the spring seal washer 311. After passing through spring seal washer 311, left end 310 a of trigger shaft 310 attaches within indentation 304 b of the left hinge element of the trigger 304.

Right end 310 b passes through left opening 306 d of right hinge housing 306 and then passes through a spring seal washer 311. A right hinge element of the trigger 303 has an upper semi-spherical portion 303 a with an indentation 303 b. After passing through spring seal washer 311, right end 310 b of trigger shaft 310 attaches within indentation 303 b of the right hinge element of the trigger 303.

Right hinge element of the trigger 303 has a lower trigger spine 303 c attached to upper semi-spherical portion 303 a. Lower trigger spine 303 c has a half-cylindrical shape with a substantially flat face 303 d.

Left hinge element of the trigger 304 has a middle trigger spine 304 c attached to upper semi-spherical portion 304 a. The upper section of middle trigger spine 304 c, proximate to semi-spherical portion 304 a, has a half-cylindrical shape with a substantially flat face 304 d. The lower section of middle trigger spine 304 c, distal to semi-spherical portion 304 a, has a substantially cylindrical shape. Left hinge element of the trigger 304 also has a lower substantially cylindrical trigger spine 304 e attached to middle trigger spine 304 c.

As left end 310 a attaches within indentation 304 b and right end 310 b attaches within indentation 303 b, substantially flat face 303 d is attached to the opposing substantially flat face 304 d above the lower section of middle trigger spine 304 c. Once joined, flat faces 303 d and 304 d form a substantially cylindrical shape that is substantially equivalent in diameter to the lower section of middle trigger spine 304 c. The right hinge element of the trigger 303 is torsionally fixed to the right end 310 b of trigger shaft 310. The left hinge element of the trigger 304 is torsionally fixed to the left end 310 a of trigger shaft 310.

A hollow substantially cylindrical trigger grip 301 has a top opening 301 a and a bottom opening 301 b. The trigger grip 301 is placed over the connected right hinge element 303 and left hinge element 304 through top opening 301 a. The lower trigger spine 304 e of left hinge element of the trigger 304 passes through bottom opening 301 b, a bushing 307, a retaining ring 308 and is attached to an end cap 302.

FIG. 5 illustrates the rotating trigger in the resting position 103 a and the squeezed position 103 b. When a user applies gripping force to the trigger grip 301 by squeezing rotating trigger 103, the trigger grip 301, the lower trigger spine 303 c, and the middle trigger spine 304 c all begin to rotate about the axis of trigger shaft 310 in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. As trigger spine 304 c begins to rotate, the left end 310 a of trigger shaft 310 also begins to rotate in the same direction. Concurrently, as trigger spine 303 c begins to rotate, the right end 310 b of trigger shaft 310 also begins to rotate in the same direction. The rotation of trigger shaft 310 causes the top end 105 a of lever 105 to begin to pivot about the about the pivot point of bottom end 105 b by rotating around trigger shaft 310. The pivoting of top end 105 a operates actuator mechanism 104 which controls the surgical clip applier distal end effector (not shown). Thus, application of gripping force to the trigger 103 operates the surgical clip applier.

Once a user releases the trigger grip 301, the trigger grip 301, the lower trigger spine 303 c, and the middle trigger spine 304 c all begin to rotate about the axis of trigger shaft 310 in the opposite clockwise or counterclockwise direction The trigger shaft 310 rotating in an opposite direction causes the top end 105 a of lever 105 to begin to pivot in an opposite direction about the about the pivot point of bottom end 105 b by rotating around trigger shaft 310. The opposite pivoting of top end 105 a releases the actuator mechanism 104 which controls the surgical clip applier distal end effector (not shown). Thus, release of gripping force to the trigger 103 stops the operation of the surgical clip applier.

The rotating trigger 103 reduces the gripping force necessary to fully pivot lever 105 to operate actuator mechanism 104 to operate a disposable surgical clip applier (not shown) to fully ligate a vessel or other tissue. In one embodiment of the subject application the gripping force required to fully actuate for full ligation is reduced from 25 lbs to 5 lbs.

The trigger assembly 101 and the rotating trigger 103 remain hermetically sealed in the resting 103 a and squeezed 103 b positions. A spring seal washer 311 around the left end 310 a of trigger shaft 310 provides a compressive force against semi-spherical portion 304 a and an opposing compressive force against housings 305 a and 305 c. Another spring seal washer 311 around the right end 310 b of trigger shaft 310 provides a compressive force against semi-spherical portion 303 a and an opposing compressive force against housings 306 a and 306 c. These opposing compressive forces on both sides and surrounding trigger shaft 310 provide an air seal between trigger 103 and housing 107. This air seal is maintained during rotation of trigger 103 from the resting 103 a to squeezed position 103 b.

Handle and trigger assembly 101 does not require a change of the trigger body volume inside the handle when the trigger 103 is gripped or released. This allows the handle and trigger assembly 101 to contain a completely air tight seal, making the assembly 101 infinitely reusable while reducing sterilization time. This also minimizes autoclave ineffectiveness and the possibility of cross contamination from patient to patient.

In embodiments of the subject invention, the washer seals 311, the bushing 307, the retaining ring 308 and the trigger shaft bearings 309 may be composed of titanium, plastic, steel or any combination thereof. In another embodiment of the subject invention, the washer seals 311, the bushing 307, the retaining ring 308 and the trigger shaft bearings 309 may all be composed of a unitary construction. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An endoscopic surgical tool comprising, a housing comprising an upper portion and a handle, the handle having a top and a bottom, the top of the handle coupled to the upper portion of the housing; an actuating mechanism disposed in the housing along a first axis, the actuating mechanism having a first shaft axis extending from a proximal end to a distal end, wherein the first axis and the first shaft axis are substantially parallel; a lever coupled at a proximal end to the actuating mechanism and extending in a downward direction, wherein the lever is pivotably coupled at a distal end to a trigger shaft that extends along a second shaft axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first shaft axis; a first end of the trigger shaft extending through a first opening in the housing proximate to the top of the handle, and further extending through a central opening of a first disc spring; a second end of the trigger shaft extending through a second opening in the housing proximate to the top of the handle, and further extending through a central opening of a second disc spring, wherein the first opening and the second opening are substantially parallel with each other; a first hinge element comprising a first substantially semi-spherical top portion coupled to the first end of the trigger shaft after extending through the first disc spring, wherein the first hinge element further comprises a first substantially half cylindrical lower portion with a first substantially flat surface, wherein the first disc spring provides a first seal about the first end of the trigger shaft by providing a first compressive force on the first substantially semi-spherical top portion of the first hinge element and an opposing second compressive force on the exterior surface about the first opening in the housing; a second hinge element comprising a second substantially semi-spherical top portion coupled to the second end of the trigger shaft after extending through the second disc spring, wherein the second hinge element further comprises a second substantially half-cylindrical lower portion with a second substantially flat surface, wherein the second disc spring provides a second seal about the second end of the trigger shaft by providing a third compressive force on the second substantially semi-spherical top portion of the second hinge element and an opposing fourth compressive force on the exterior surface about the second opening in the housing, wherein the first and second substantially flat surface of the first and second hinge elements couple to form a substantially cylindrical trigger defining a longitudinal axis; a hollow substantially cylindrical trigger grip coupled over the cylindrical trigger; wherein application of compressive force to the trigger grip towards the handle rotates the cylindrical trigger about the longitudinal axis in a first direction to rotate the first and second ends of the trigger shaft in a direction away from the second shaft axis, wherein rotation of the trigger shaft pivots the coupled lever to operate the actuating mechanism.
 2. The endoscopic surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the first and second hinge elements comprise complementary configurations.
 3. The endoscopic surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the first and second disc springs comprise conical spring washers.
 4. The endoscopic surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the housing is nondisposable.
 5. The endoscopic surgical tool of claim 1, wherein, the cylindrical trigger rotates about the longitudinal axis in a second direction, opposite the first direction, when the cylindrical trigger is released.
 6. The endoscopic surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a single piece.
 7. The endoscopic surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises two coupled pieces with complementary configurations. 